Ravens Keep Playoff Hopes Alive Powered by Henry’s Four Scores Outburst, Texans Clinch Playoff Berth

Derrick Henry rushed for a season-high 216 yards and matched a career high with four rushing scores as the Ravens remained in the postseason hunt by toppling the Green Bay Packers 41-24 on Saturday night.

Henry had three scores in the opening two quarters and then scored again on a 25-yard run with 1:56 left in the game. His seventh 200-yard rushing performance moved him ahead of Adrian Peterson and OJ Simpson for the most in NFL history.

His 36 rushing attempts constituted a personal record.

The Baltimore Ravens, now 8-8 now must hope the division-leading Steelers lose at Cleveland on Sunday. A Steelers victory in Cleveland would end Baltimore’s playoff hopes. If the Cleveland win that game, the could capture the AFC North by beating the Pittsburgh on the road next week.

Green Bay (9-6-1) dropped their third consecutive game, allowing the Bears to clinch the NFC North title. The Green Bay had already clinched a postseason spot earlier in the week.

Both squads were missing their starting quarterbacks as the Ravens' star QB is sidelined by a back injury while Green Bay’s Jordan Love is in the league's head injury program. The two backup quarterbacks – Baltimore’s Tyler Huntley and Green Bay’s Malik Willis – were both effective in a game that featured only one punt.

The Packers' fill-in went 18 of 21 for a career-high 288 passing yards and a TD pass, and he also rushed for 60 yards and two scores before exiting after aggravating a shoulder injury. The Ravens' backup was 16 of 20 for 107 yards with one touchdown.

The deciding factor in the matchup was Green Bay’s inability to slow down Derrick Henry, who helped the Baltimore outgain on the ground the Green Bay by a wide margin.

Henry was not utilized in Baltimore’s final two series the week before in a narrow defeat. The veteran running back’s lack of fourth-quarter usage was a hot topic around Baltimore all week.

The coaching staff ensured he touched the rock frequently from the outset. His powerful running allowed the offense to put points on the board on their initial five drives and take a 27-14 halftime lead.

Henry totaled 15 rushes in Baltimore’s first two series and finished each of them with scores. He tacked on a further short TD run just before the end of the half.

Green Bay got back into the game by outplaying the Ravens 10-0 in the third quarter.

After a three-pointer, the defense forced the initial punt of the night. The QB then scrambled for an 11-yard score to cut the deficit to a three-point game.

But the Baltimore squad answered on their ensuing drive.

The workhorse back ran for a crucial first down on a third down play. He ended the third quarter with a 30-yard burst. Those key runs set up a scoring strike from Huntley to Zay Flowers.

The Packers' quarterback drove the Packers into Baltimore territory before injuring his shoulder and heading to the locker room. His replacement threw an interception on his only pass.

Houston Texans Secure Playoff Spot After Victory Over Los Angeles

The Texans' quarterback connected on two long touchdowns on Houston’s opening possessions, and the Houston went on to beat the Chargers by four points on Saturday to clinch a third consecutive playoff berth.

The Houston Texans, now 11-5 won their eighth in a row, their longest such streak in several seasons.

The Los Angeles Chargers, also 11-5 had their four-game winning streak snapped and ceded the AFC West title to their rivals.

The young QB's two explosive TDs shocked the Chargers and gave the Texans a two-score advantage. On his initial throw of the game, he found a receiver for a 75-yard score. He later tossed a deep scoring pass on the following possession.

He connected on his first six attempts of the game. He finished with 244 passing yards.

Houston’s defense recorded key sacks on the Chargers’ opening drives. The Los Angeles offense were held to three-and-out on multiple early drives.

The LA signal-caller, competing with a broken hand, was brought down on five occasions.

An early pick of the Texans' QB in the second quarter only produced a field goal for the offense. Another takeaway failed to produce any points.

The LA were stopped on the one-yard line by a crucial interception. The target saw the ball pop off his hands, leading to the change of possession.

The placekicker missed a kick from short range just before the break and later pushed wide an PAT attempt on the team’s final drive after a score.

The Texans' kicker converted field goals from beyond 40 yards to contribute to the win.